All In the Stars
by Hopeful Writer
Summary: PG for minor cursing. A night of star-gazing at the Burrow reveals some secrets of the lives of Fred Weasley and Angelina Johnson. Really fluffy, but a fun read.


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Disclaimer: What you think I own, and what I own are completely different. Remember, appearances can be deceiving.

A/N – This was kind of random. I'm just spouting some little one-shot ficlets while I work on my series. This is just another one. It's something I've never done before: Fred/Angelina. Can't help it. I just love Fred so much!

Short Summary: Star-gazing at the Burrow leads to a new insight in two people's lives.

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ALL IN THE STARS

By: Hopeful Writer

"See something you like?"

Fred Weasley jumped several feet in the air and looked around, only to lock eyes with Angelina Johnson, his girlfriend and one of his best friends. He smiled at her, and patted the green grass beside him, indicating that she should sit down. Angelina obeyed.

"I'm star-gazing," he told her, lying back to stare into the night sky again.

Angelina flopped onto her own back. "I didn't know you star-gazed," she remarked, carefully tracing the patterns of some constellations she knew.

Fred shrugged. "Not many people do."

"George knows."

Fred rolled onto his side to look at her. "Really?"

Angelina nodded, her eyes still fixated on the tiny dots in the sky. "He's the one who told me where you were."

Fred made an indistinct noise and settled back to gaze at Scorpius, his Zodiac sign. There were several moments of silence as the pair studied the stars. Angelina finally spoke up. "Do you have a favorite constellation, Fred?"

He smiled. "Bootes," he replied.

She frowned. "I don't know that one."

Fred sat up, happy to explain. "Bootes is one of the oldest constellations in the sky. He's a hunter, and he was put in the sky to hunt Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Big and Little Dippers. He chases them around the North Pole. Some myths say that he was a Herdsman and it's his job to circle the Pole and keep all the other constellations in line." Fred grinned into the darkness, directly at his favorite constellation. "That's why I like it so much. Because it keeps everyone else in line."

Angelina smiled. "That's really great," she replied, not quite sure what else to say.

He glanced at her. "What about you? Do you have a favorite constellation?"

She blushed slightly. "I always liked Centaurus. Do you know the myth around that?"

Fred did, but he wanted to hear her tell it. "No, go on. What is it?"

She glanced at him briefly before averting her eyes and beginning. "It's the constellation for Chiron, a wise centaur that tutored Hercules and Jason. Hercules accidentally wounded him, but he was immortal, so it just put him in so much pain that he actually begged the gods to kill him. Zeus did, and gave him a place in the sky."

Fred grinned wryly. "No kidding?"

"Yeah. I like it because it shows that not all centaurs were barbaric, like the ancient Romans thought. Some of them were smart and proud and... totally capable of human emotions." Angelina shrugged. "It's like how people stereotype other people. Like I have to be a certain way because I'm a girl. Did you know that my father has been trying to convince me to stop playing Quidditch for years? He wants me to dress up and be more 'feminine.' It's like I have to be some cookie-cutter model of every other girl that ever existed. It's really annoying."

Fred rolled onto his stomach and looked at her. "I know what you're talking about. Everyone expects me to be like my brothers, just because I'm a Weasley. Like I have to be smart and athletic and funny because Bill and Charlie are. And... well, and Percy's smart too, of course, although he lacks the other two qualities." Angelina giggled slightly. "But I'm not Bill or Charlie, and I never plan on it." He sighed, burying his chin into his clasped hands. "It's like that with George too. If something happens to him, it's supposed to happen to me too. He fails a test, I fail a test. Like we're carbon copies of each other, not two separate, different people." Fred gave a slight grin. "Or, people like Malfoy classify all Weasleys as poor, red-haired, freckle-faced kids with hand-me-down clothes and too many children for our own good."

Angelina moved closer and rested her hand on his back. "You know, you don't have to be Bill and Charlie for me," she whispered, gently playing with the locks of hair at the nape of his neck. "You just have to be you, Fred."

He rolled over so he was looking up at her. He smiled. "And you don't have to be a typical girl around me, Angie. You can be as spunky as you want."

She burst into laughter, and he couldn't help but join in. As their laughter faded, Angelina closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his. He shivered, reaching out to draw her even closer. She opened her mouth as an invitation to deepen the kiss, which Fred accepted willingly. Their tongues dueled as Angelina's hands found their way to the back of his neck, and Fred's wrapped around her waist.

They broke apart a moment later, breathless and flushed. "You know something?" Angelina remarked as she caught her breath. "I think you knew all about Centaurus, didn't you?"

Fred grinned. "Well, yeah. I know a lot about the constellations. But it's more fun to hear someone else talk about them."

She smiled too. Then it faded, as if she were working up the nerve for something. Fred regarded her curiously. "What is it?" he asked.

Angelina swallowed, then blurted, "Iloveyou."

"What?"

Taking a calming breath (that really didn't work), she tried again. "I... I love you."

Silence. Fred's jaw had dropped and he was currently mouthing soundlessly. To ease the tension, Angelina said, "You do a great impression of a fish out of water."

It didn't quite work, but it did pull Fred back into reality. "You love me?" he squeaked, looking to her for confirmation.

Cursing her big mouth, Angelina nodded hesitantly. Oh, how easy it would have been to pretend she had never said anything. But there was no turning back now.

"You love _me_?"

"Dammit, yes, I love you, Fred!" she exclaimed, tears beginning to pool into her eyes. She swiped at them furiously. This was no time to cry. "You don't have to say anything back. I just reckoned... I reckoned this was the right time to tell you."

There was no sign that Fred even heard her. "Bloody hell," he whispered, almost to himself. "Angelina Johnson loves me. Me!" He jumped up and threw his head back with his arms spread wide. "Hear that, world? Angelina Johnson loves me!"

Angelina blinked in surprise, trying to make sense of the crazy scene playing before her. "Wait... you're happy?"

He turned to her, his face a mixed expression of joy, amusement, and bewilderment. "Of course. Why would I be?"

"So you... you..."

"I love you. I have since... er, forever practically. Since I met you, at least." He smiled and drew her into his arms. "You want to know what turns me on the most about you?"

"Er... my charming good looks and wittiness?" she guessed, feeling deliriously happy for some reason.

He laughed, kissing her forehead. "Well, there's that, of course, but it's something else. You're special, Angie. Really special. You're not like the other girls. You never fell for my bullshit, or let me take control or treat you bad or anything. You kept me in my place. But it's not just me. You're a tough girl and you don't take crap from anyone. You're a real fighter. I like that about you, maybe best of all."

Angelina was blushing to the roots of her hair. She kissed him soundly, making little red and gold stars explode before Fred's closed eyes. "Pretty," he whispered. He opened his eyes slowly. "Prettier," he continued in an even quieter voice.

Something hit his head that moment and he pulled out of Angelina's embrace to see George and Ron grinning at him from the Burrow's window. "What?" he yelled. "Can't you see I'm busy here?"

Angelina blushed again, and Ron snickered. George elbowed him pointedly. "Sorry to interrupt, dear brother, but Charlie's here with the squirts, who are asking for their favorite baby-sitter. We just sent them outside. Didn't think you'd care to explain to them what you were doing."

Fred couldn't help but grin. "Yeah. Thanks, George."

He waved his hand airily. "Anytime, anytime," he replied before ducking his head inside the window as Charlie rounded the corner with Tad and Marvin, his twin sons. They were four, and had apparently inherited some of Fred and George's playfulness. They were a ball of energy usually, but they were fun.

Charlie ruffled Fred's hair. "Hey, little brother. Hi, Angelina," he greeted the other girl.

"Hi, Charlie."

Charlie winked at Fred. "Pleasant evening, isn't it, Freddie? Might I ask what you and your _three-year girlfriend_ were doing out here unsupervised?"

"What could they be doing, Daddy?" Tad asked, tugging on the hem of his father's shirt.

Fred glanced at Angelina, who was slowly turning red, and he smiled. He turned back to Charlie. "We were star-gazing, big brother. Don't you know? Everything you need to know, it's all in the stars."

A/N – Heh, just an idea that randomly popped into my head. I've been into stars recently, and this just seemed like a good way to get it out. Please review, makes my day. §--HW--§


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